The present invention generally relates to apparatus and methods for a solder sleeve heating station and more specifically, to apparatus and methods for a solder sleeve heating station which optically baffles light in order to effect the shrinking of a solder sleeve.
Presently, numerous devices and methods are used to seal wire splices. Wire splicing involves the connection of wires which have been stripped of insulation. The most commonly used method of joining stripped wires involves the insertion of the wires into a solder sleeve, applying heat to the solder sleeve which shrinks the sleeve and completes the splicing of the wires. In order to properly complete splicing, an operator must center the solder sleeve over the area to be spliced. The operator also must ensure the sleeve is melted and flowed over the wire insulation. Occasionally, the operator must reapply heat in order to complete the shrinking of the sleeve, however the operator must also avoid overheating the sleeve because overheating prevents the ability to perform any visual inspections of the sleeve. The splicing is further complicated by safety goggles which the operator must wear in order to avoid eye injuries that may be caused by the tool used to shrink the solder sleeve.
Tools used to heat the solder sleeve include both hand held and bench top devices. As stated above, the operator must do a number of hand manipulations in order to ensure proper assembly and heating of the solder sleeve. Using a handheld infrared heating tool requires even further manipulation by the operator. Infrared heating tools are also available in desktop versions which use an infrared ray for heating. The infrared heating tools normally require multiple filters to protect the operator from potential eye injuries in addition to personal protection such as eye goggles. Radiant heat tools are also available, however the radiant heat tools tend to be expensive to purchase and/or manufacture. The radiant heating device may also be costly to operate and maintain. Another common problem associated with each tool for shrinking involves the operation cycle. The shrinking of a sleeve typically takes 8-12 seconds and may be longer due to the inspection requirements associated with current devices and methods.
As can be seen, there is a need for an improved apparatus and method for shrinking solder sleeves which requires fewer hand manipulations by the operator, reduce safety hazards, require fewer components for the heating tools and involve a less expensive and more time efficient device. More particularly, it would be advantageous to use an optically baffled solder sleeve heating station which allows the operator to observe the heating process without the use of personal safety protection, reduces the hand manipulations required by the operator, performs the shrinking operation in less time, uses fewer components and is less costly to manufacture.